Electric railway-signal



H. A .l. A. AND W. HOESCHEN.

ELECTRIC RAILWAY SIGNAL. APPLICATION FILED MAY 18. 1915.

'1 ,821,635. Patented Nov. 11, 1919.

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. H.A. Hoeshen, 6 1 J. A. Hoeschen, Wot/woo: Q HOSC"\Y\.

H. A.., J. A. AND W. HOESCHEN.

ELECTRIC RAlLWAY SIGNAL.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 18. I915.

Patented Nov. 11, 1919.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY A. HOESCHEN, JOSEPH A. HOES GHEN, AND WILLIAM HOESCHEN, OF OMAHA,

NEBRASKA, ASSIGNORS TO HOESCHEN MANUFACTURING TION OF NEBRASKA.

- To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, HENRY A. Hons- CHEN, Josnrn A. HOESOHEN, and WILLIAM HoEsGHEN, all citizens of the United States and residents of Omaha, in the county of Douglas and State of Nebraska, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Railway-Signals, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to electrically oper ated and controlled signal mechanism for use at railway crossings and the like. It is the object of ourv invention to rovide a simple and efficient electricallyriven' mechanism for actuating a swinging or oscillating visual signal, for actuating an audible signal device such as'a bell, and for intermittently exposing or flashing an i1luminated signal or signals at night. A further object of our invention is to provide electrical controlling means for the signal actuating mechanism, whereby the same may be controlled by movements of trains along an adjacent section of railway track, and whereby the signalsare caused to automatically indicate a failure of the battery or generator supplying power for the operation thereof.

Structures embodying our invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a front elevation of the signal mechanism, with a portion of the supporting column broken away, Fig. 2 is a detail side view of the operating parts, the bell being in section, Fig. 3 is a detail section of the bell on the plane of the line m w of Fig 2, Fig. 4 is a detail end view of the latch device and the controlling magnet therefor, Fig. 5 is a detail end view of the switch or circuit-controlling device for the oscillatory motor, Fig. 6 is a detail end view of the controlling switch for the lighting-circuit, the oil-immersion cell being in section, Figs. 7 and 8 are detail end views showing the operation of the stop-lever and the controlling magnet therefor, Fig. 9 is a detail transverse section of the oscillatory motor, Figs. 10 and 11 are detail plan views showing the operation of the motorcontrolling switch, and Fig. 12 is a diagrammatic view illustrating all the electrical connections of the mechanism.

In the illustrated embodiment of our invention, the signal mechanism is supported Specification of Letters Patent.

COMPANY, A CORPORA- ELEGTRIC RAILWAY-SIGN AL.

Patented Nov. 11, 1919.

Application filed May 18, 1915. Serial No. 28,984.

which is disposed in proximity to the crossing to be protected by the signals. The col umn, shown in Fig. 1, has at an accessible position thereon a casing 2 for inclosing re lays or OthGI'ziiHStIllIIlBIltS accessory to the signaling devices. Nearthe upper end of the column there is secured thereon a sign 3 having an admonitory phrase or word such as Danger formed thereon by transparent or translucent letters 4 set in an opaque body and adapted to be intermittently illuminated at night by electric lights controlled as hereinafter described. At the top of the column is a rectangular frame 5. which supports a base or platform 6, thelatter carrying a casing 7 which in'closes the oscillatory motor.- An ordinary oil-burning: signal lantern 8 may be placed within the frame 5, as shown,

so as to be normallv obscured by one of the signal blades, but being intermittently exposed during operation of the oscillatorymotor.

In the construction of the oscillatory motor there are employed twopairs'of electromagnetic coils 9, the lower ends of the cores ofeach pair of coils being connected by'a yoke 10 which rests upon and is securedto the base or platform 6. The upper ends of poles 11 of the coil-cores extend through a plate 12 of non-magnetic metal such as brass, and said plate carries bearings 13 for a horizontal shaft 14 which extends above and at a position intermediate between the two pairs of poles 11. The ends of the" poles are so formed that their surfaces are con- .centric with the axis of the shaft 14-. Thus "the upper end of each of the poles is substantially wedge-shaped, and terminates at its upper and outer ed ein a rounded lip of which the extremitv is slightly below the horizontal plane of the shaft-axis.

Adjacent to the poles 11 there is mounted on the shaft an armature-carrying body 15,

having armatures 16 secured on the radial ends thereof. The body 15 is of non-magnetic material, and the armatures are of soft iron or steel, the outer surfaces there of being concentric with the shaft and at such a distance therefrom that they will swing just clear of concave end-surfaces of the poles 11. The armatures are approximately wedge-shaped in transverse section, being thinnest along the edges which are lowermost when the body 15 is in horizontal position. When in said horizontal position the thin lower edge of each armature is adjacent to the upper extremities of the poles 11 of the magnet formed by the pair of coils at the respective side of the motor. The body 15 being in such horizontal position, if either of the two magnets be energized the armature at that side will tend to be pulled downwardly by the magnet until the thick upper body-portion of the armature is adjacent to the centers of the poles and the body 15 is in a tilted or inclined position.

For imparting to the motor-shaft 14: a bias toward a position at which the body 15 is horizontal an the armatures in an intermediate or neutral position, viz. in like relation to their respective magnets, a pendulum-rod 17 is secured to the shaft so as to hang vertically therefrom when the armatures are in said neutral position. The

pendulum-rod 17 is secured on the front end of the motor-shaft outside the casing 7, and on the lower end-portion of the rod a weight 18 is adjustably secured thereon, as shown clearly in Fig. 2. To the same hub employed for connecting the pendulum-rod to the motor-shaft, there is secured a pair of fiat blades 19 which extend out on opposite sides of the shaft at right angles to the pendulum-rod. Said blades, being of like form and equal weight, balance each other and do not alter the bias to neutral position imparted to the shaft by the pendulum-rod.

The motor-magnets, formed by the pairs of coils 9, are energized intermittently and alternately by electric current from a generator. or battery 20, indicated in Fig. 12,

and said current is controlled by means of a switch mechanism which is constructed as follows: On the motor-shaft adjacent to one of the bearings 13 a collar 21 is secured to the shaft and insulated therefrom. The collar is constantly engaged by a brush 22, shown in Figs. 2 and 5 as connected with a block 23 of insulating material, said bloc-k being mounted on an angle-plate 24 which is secured to one end of the plate 12. The collar 21 carries at one side a resilient contact-arm 25 having at the outer end thereof a flat T-head 26, the arm being slightly twisted so that the T-head extends at a slight incline to a plane perpendicular to the axis of the motor-shaft. On the insulatingblock 23 are mounted two contact-plates 27 and 28, having spaced vertical portions extending in overlapping relation to each other, and with their opposite ends turned inwardly, as shown in Figs. 10 and 11. The Thead of the COIlttLCt-illll'l is adapted to engage said contact-plates during oscillatory movement of the motor-shaft and, owing to the inclined position of the T-head, will engage one or the other of the contact-plates according to the direction from which it approaches them. Referring to Fig. 10, the T-head is indicated by dotted lines at one side of the plates, approaching them as represented by the arrows. From said figure it will be apparent that the forward end of the T-head will engagethe plate 27 and will be deflected laterally thereby in passing the same, the lateral deflection being permi'tted by bending of the resilient arm 25. As the T-head passes outfof contact with the plate 27 the arm will spring back laterally to its normal position, so that on the return movement the T-head will approach the contacts as indicated by the dotted lines and arrows in Fig. 11, from which it Will be seen that the plate 28 will be engaged during such return movement.

As indicated in Fig. 12, the contact 27 is cnnected by a wire 29 with a terminal of one pair of the motor-coils 9, the contact 28 is similarly connected by a'wire 30 to the other pair of coils, the other terminals of the pairs of coils being connected by a wire 31 with one terminal of the generator or battery 20, and the other terminal of the battery being connected by a wire 32 with the contact-arm 25. In Fig. 12 the brush 22 is not represented, but it will be understood that the actual connection to the contact-arm is made through said brush and the collar 21. As a result of said connections and the described operation of the oscillating switch mechanism,during movement of the motorshaft in one direction a circuit will be closed through the contact 27 to energize the one motor-magnet, and durin the movement of the shaft in the other direction the other magnet will be similarly energized by the closing of the circuit through the contact 28. The circuits are so made that the magnet energized, during movement of the shaft in either direction, will be that whose armature is then descending, while the other magnet, whose armature is then ascending, will be on the open side of the branched circuit leading through the coils of the two magnets. The length of the T-head, and the arrangement of the contact-arm 25 relatively to the armatures, are such that the T-head will first engage the appropriate one of the contacts 27 and 28 at a time when the thin lower edge of the descendin armature is in proximity to the pointec upper ends of the magnet-poles at the respective side of the motor, the body 15 bein at such time in an inclined position as s own by the dotted lines in Fig. 9. The arrangement is also such that the T-head will be disengaged from the contact-plate, and the circuit through the magnet-coils thereby broken, at approximately the time when the descending armature is in the position where the tractive force exerted thereon by the magnet ceases to be effective in accelerating the movement of the armature, such position being that at which the center of mass of the armature is closest to the centers of the polefaces. During the descent of the armature on the active side of the motor, the shaft 14 and the parts carried thereby acquire a certain momentum which results in a continuat-ion of their movement after the circuit is broken and the tractive force of the magnet upon the armature has ceased. The extent of said continued movement, due to mementum of the parts, is established primarily by suitably proportioning the strength of the magnets to the force required for overcoming the frictional resistance to the movement of the parts. The extent of movement may also be controlled within certain limits by adjustments in the position of the weight 18 upon the pendulum rod, such adjustments serving to vary the moment, and consequently the natural period of oscillation, of the parts about the shaft-axis;

For the operations desired in the illustrated construction, the extent of the oscillating movement should be somewhat greater than half a revolution of the motorshaft, or such that the pendulum-rod will swing to each side slightly above a horizontal position, the two extreme positions of the parts being shown by full and dotted,

lines in Fig. 8. It will be seen that, after reaching either extreme position, the parts will be returned by ravity toward the intermediate or neutraT position at which the pendulum-rod hangs vertically; that during such movement the magnet on the side of the descending armature will be energized momentarily at a time when its traction upon the armature will be most effective in accelerating the movement; and that the successive impulses imparted alternately to the armatures 16 will cause a continued I oscillation of the motor-shaft and the parts attached thereto, until the supply of electrical energy to the motor-magnets is stopped, or until the movement of the shaft is arrested by means other than those hereinbefore decertain amount of potential energy is thus conserved which is available to start the operation of the mechanism when the stop is released. In the structure shown, there is secured on the motor-shaft a latch-bar 33 comprising two arms which extend out radially from opposite sides of the shaft, and of which the ends are slightly beveled, as shown. At one side of the angle-plate 24 an L-shaped stop-lever or bell-crank 34 is,

pivotally connected therewith, one arm of the lever extending upwardly and having a laterally projecting lug 35 adapted for engagement with the ends of the latch-bar 33. When the stop-lever is moved to a position at which said lug 35 lies in the path of the latch-bar it will stop the movement of the motor-shaft when the oscillating parts are in one of the two ositions shown by full and dotted lines in Fig. 7. In the first position one end of the latch-bar engages the lower side of the lug, and in the second position the other end of the latch-bar engages the upper side of the lug. The stop-lever is controlled by means of an electromagnet 36 which is shown as secured to the lower side of the angle-plate 24. The armature 37 of said electromagnet is connected by means of will be so moved as to interpose the lug 35 s in the path of the latch-bar, and when the magnet is deenergized and its armature falls the stop-lever will be so moved as to disengage the lug from the latch-bar and release the motor-shaft.

The stop-magnet 36 is preferably energized by current from the main or motorbattery 20, being connected therewith in a circuit formed through wires 40, 41 and 42, as shown in Fig. 12. The stop-magnet circuit is controlled by a suitable relay or relays arranged so as to be operatedin-accordance With train-movements along the railway track adjacent to the signal mechanism. In Fig. 12 there is shown a relay of which the. armature 43 controls the stop-n'lagnet circuit. The relay-coils 44 are connected in a track-circuitformed through the rails 45 of a bonded and insulated section or block of the railway track. The track-circuit through the relay is constantly closed so that the relay is normally energlzed by current from the track-battery 46. \Vhen a train passes onto the block formed by the rails 45, the relay is short-circuited, its armature is released, and the stop-magnet circuit is opened at the relay-contact 47. The opening of the stop-magnet circuit releases the armature 37 which moves the stop-lever 34 to release position, and thus starts the operation of 'the oscillatory motor, said operation being then continued until the train clears the block, whereupon the relay is again energized and closes the stopmagnet circuit so that said magnet operates to stop the signal-motor.

For flashing or intermittently illuminating the sign 3 during the operation of the signal mechanism, there may be provided a series of incandescent electric lights 48 arranged in a circuit with a suitable generator 49, as shown in Fig. 12. For controlling the lighting circuit, there is provided ont he motor-shaft a contact-arm 50, the same being insulated from the shaft and connected with the generator through a suitable brush 51 carried on aipost 52 of insulating material, as shown in Figs. 2 and 6. The arm 50 is adapted to engage an arcuate contactplate 53 arranged beneath the same and pref- .erablydisposed within a cup or cell 54, the latter being filled with oil to prevent excessive arcing when the circuit is broken by the disengagementof the arm from the plate. When the motor is in the normal or stopped position thereof the arm 50 extends horizontally, as shown in Fig. 6, and the lighting-circuit is open, but during the operation of the signal-motor the lighting-clrcuit is made and broken twice during each cycle of movement of the oscillating shaft.

In addition to the isual signals provided by the oscillating blades 19, the intermittently-exposed lantern 8, and the flashing sign 3, there is provided an audible signal which is formed by a bell suitably connected with the motorshaft. In the structure shown, the bell 55 is carried by a curved arm 56 of which the end is slotted and adjustably secured to the motor-shaft so that the center of gravity of the bell may be made to coincide approximately with the shaft-axis. Within the bell, a clapper or hammer 57 is pivotally suspended on a forked or U-sha ed hanger 58. A coil spring 59 is arrange so as to tend to hold the hammer near one side of the bell-body, as shown in Fig. 3, but the strength of said spring is insufficient to retain the hammer in said position when the bell is oscillated. The spring serves to accelerate the movement of the hammer after the same passes the central or intermediate position thereof, causing it to strike a sharp quick blow upon the bell. A U-shaped guard 60 is provided, which serves to hold the ball of the hammer out of contact with the sides of the bell and prevent mutfling the vibrations thereof, the parts being sufliciently yieldable to permit the ball to engage the sides of the bell when swung rapidly toward the same.

From the foregoing the operation of the mechanism will be apparent, and it will be seen that our invention provides a simple and efficient means for actuating and controlling swinging or oscillating signal-blades or semaphores, for controlling lights or flashing signs to form a visual signal at night, and for a'ctuatin an audible signalsuch as a bell. It shoul be noted that when the movement of the oscillating parts is interrupted by the stop mechanism, the switches controlling the motor-circuits and the lighting-circuit are both in such position that said circuits are open, and thus no other controlling devices are'needed for said circuits.

It will be noted further that should the main or motor-battery become weak or exhausted, the stop-magnet will be released and the oscillatory parts permitted to move to the intermediate or neutral position at which the blades 19 extend horizontally instead of being in the normal vertical position thereof, and such osition of the blades will automatically in icate failure of the battery. Similarly, failure of the track battery 46, or breaking of the rails 45, will cause the signal to be set in operation, and such operation, when there is no train in the controlling block of railway track, will indicate the inoperativeness of the track-circuit. V

' Now, having described our invention, what we claim and desire to secure by Letters ratent is:

1. In a mechanism of the class described, an oscillatorv motor comprising a pivotally mounted oscillating body, two armatures symmetrically disposed thereon, an electromagnet for each armature, means tending to move the body to a neutral position at which the armatures are in like relation to the respective magnets, circuits made through said magnets, and a switch controlling said circuits, said switch having a sin le movable member carried by the oscillating body and being adapted to close the circuits at neutral position alternately in accordance with the direction of movement of the body toward neutral position.

2. In a mechanism of the class described, a pivotally mounted oscillatable body having a bias toward a neutral position, armatures carried by said body at opposite sides of its pivotal axis, an elcctromagnet for each armature, said magnets being arranged to attract the respective armatures to move the body in opposite directions from the neutral position thereof, and a switch having a single movable member carried by the oscil- -latable body and adapted to establish electrical circuits at the neutral position for energizing the magnets alternately.

3. In a mechanism of the class described, an oscillatable armature-carrying body having a bias toward a neutral position, motormagnets adapted to move said body in opposite directions from said neutral position, a

stop for holding the body in positions toward which it is moved by the motor-magnets, mOtor-circuits for energizing the motormagnets, and a switch-mechanism having a part movable synchronously with the armature-carrying body and adapted to close the motor-circuits alternately in accordance with the direction of movement of said body, said switch-part being in circuit-open position when the body is held by the stop, and moving to circuit-closing position as the body approaches the neutral position.

4. In a mechanism of the class described, a pivotally mounted body oscillatable be tween two positions and having a bias toward a position intermediate the positions first named, a stop for holding said body in either of said first-named positions, a motor-circuit, a motor-magnet connected in said circuit and adapted to exert a traction on said oscillatable body, and controlling means for the motor-circuit, said controlling v means being actuated by the oscillatable body and being adapted to close the motorcireuit and energize the motor-magnet as the body moves from one of the first-named positions toward the intermediate position, whereby the tractive impulse of the motormagnet uponthe body will move the same 15 to the other first-named position.

5. In a mechanism of the class described,-

oscillatory members, electrical motor mechanism controlled by said members and adapted to impart thereto intermittent impulses to maintain oscillatory movement thereof, means biasing the oscillatory members toward a definite position, a stop for reretaining the same in a position other than that to which they are biased, electromagnetic means adapted to maintain said stop in retaining position when energized, and an electrical source connected with and supplying energy both to said motor mechanism and to said stop-actuating means.

H. A. HOESCI-IEN.

J. A. HOESCHEN.

WM. HOESCHEN. 

